2. amps-preamps
  3. 137177-116061

Preamp suggestions ? Remote, tone control, phono for less than 1.5.

I want to replace my vintage Sansui integrated  with a pre / power combo. For the power amp I have my eyes set on the SCHIIT Vidar. This will need to drive 2 Dynaudio Special 40, reasonably hard to drive. Here's some desiderata:

- Budget between 1 and 1.5 K
- Analytical rather than warm sounding; ruling out tubes I guess
- Remote mandatory
- Tone control and phono input a BIG plus for me
- Used vs new not a prob

Schiit has got some nice preamp boxes, well withn my budget, but they don't have tone control  and they don't have phono input. I know they have dedicated boxes for those and nicely reviewed for that matter but I really wouldn't want too many boxes / cables around.

I thought about the Benchmark DAC as a pre but the most you can get is one additional line input and no phono.

Any suggestion ?

Thanks a lot

Mark
marklings
strateahed
304 posts
 
If I were in your situation, I'd get the Doge 8 and call it a day:

http://www.doge.audio/products/doge-8-tube-preamplifier/doge-8-clarity-2017-edition/

Good luck, and Happy Listening!
christophebp
1 posts
 
Parasound Halo P5.
I've had it for a couple of years now and love it.

http://www.parasound.com/p5.php

boxer12
8,656 posts
 
The Audio Alchemy DAC/Preamp & the seperate phono section could be an option. It would be a bit higher than 15 but audio adviser sells them at a good price. In time you could add the optional power supply which brings it to another level. If you want to go less, keep your eye out for a Jeff Rowland Consonance. They sold them with and without a phono section. It is a GREAT preamp & from what others say around here, has a good phono section as well. Neither of those options have tone controls though.  
More to discover